Once again, we are headed for a “fiscal cliff” -- a rack of spending cuts and tax increases that will take place in January automatically if Congress doesn’t find a better way to reduce our deficit by $700 billion. The re-election of president Obama should have sent a clear message to Congress that it is the will of the people to let Bush tax cuts expire for the wealthiest Americans. It appears that either they didn't get it or they are willfully opposing it. Please sign here and add your own comments to make our message clearer.....

Congress imposed a pension law that forced the U.S. Post Office to fund its pension for 75 years in advance & to do it in 10 years. No company, private or public, funds its pensions for workers not yet born. If they did they would go bankrupt. That law is hurting the post office, its workers (at a time when jobs are badly needed), and hurting our economy and mail delivery to many in rural areas that depend on the P.O. for medicines & needed supplies. Ask Congress to repeal that law now!

My husband is a General Contractor and can't find any steady work. I haven't had a raise on my job in eight years and the cost of living continues to rise. We're frustrated and struggling to make ends meet due to the economy. We were living the "American Dream"--We built our home with our bare hands along with our children and had saved for years to be able to bring it to fruition. We work very hard and are part of the "47%" that Republicans believe want a handout or deem lazy; yet they are content to continue to build the country on our backs to add insult to injury. How insulting! Belinda Carr

John Schnatter, CEO of Papa John's, is threatening to reduce worker's hours to 30 hours per week in order to avoid covering them under the Affordable Care act (Obamacare). He claims it will cost an additional 11 to 14 cents per pizza to cover his employees, a cost he cannot absorb or pass along to customers, so he plans to make his employees absorb the cost through reduced hours and reduced pay.

I am a concerned American who has come to the realization that our country is inexorably headed for that Fiscal Cliff which we all know will ravage our economy and the world financial system, but do not seem capable of avoiding it. President Obama was elected on a platform that stated clearly that in redressing the oppressive national debt, he would ask the wealthy to pay a bit more in taxes while cutting back expenditures in other areas. In a country that is experiencing one of the highest rates of unemployment in many decades and with an economy mired deep in a slump, Obama, the sitting President won over an opponent who should have beaten him, if not for his message which was neither clear nor appealing to the populace. Without missing a beat, Congress has indicated that they will not allow the President to implement the budget plan which the people voted him in on. We believe that the President is taking a reasonable position and one that has a better chance of balancing the books than that offered by the opposition which still wants to equip our military to fight the Soviet Bloc of the 60's and 70's. If we go by the usual pattern we have seen in government over the last four years, Congress will hold out, now because of some oath they have taken amongst themselves, never to raise taxes. That means their will be no meaningful negotiations. We the people cannot wait until 27 December to become engaged in this matter and must begin now to pressure our representatives in Congress and the Senate to act responsibly and stay away from the cliff. This is not a matter to play politics with. It is our future

When I started college and filed my annual taxes, my financial aid refund money was considered income. However, often what I received each semester did not match what my university said I did. Now I owe back taxes on grant money I never personally pocketed.

We, the people, understand that by extending the tax cuts to the poor and middle class it will stimulate the economy. People will have more money to spend and to start up new businesses. This along with The main idea graduated tax rate increases for those earning more than $250,000 is a workable compromise that should satisfy the people and to move this country forward. At this time, we, the people, do not want to see any cuts to social security, medicare and medicaid now or in the future, except to have the income cap removed from these entitlement payroll taxes. These entitlements are not part of the national budget as they are paid for entirely through our payroll taxes and should not available to you as bargaining chips. This money belongs to the people. We, the people, do not want to see another fiscal showdown!!!!!

I am so irritated that John Boehner is refusing to consider making his millionaire buddies pay more in taxes, that I propose letting the tax cuts expire! If a household that brings in less than 75,000 a year can make ends meet without the tax cut, I know they can!

The hand outs are being given to the rich with tax loops, hiding funds and establishing companies in other countries without paying their share. This is the wealthy welfare for the rich. More of our tax dollars are being wasted by providing access to more money that isn't been utilized in this country. They support policies to make them richer, and break the essence back of the working class, middle class and the poor. We the 47% has made Wall- Street Rich, our Congressman and Senator to be greed and selfish. Therefore, we are wanting to cut the budget in the following ways; These public servants( Congressman and Senators) need to get a pay cut for the work that they haven't done and bills that they won't pass, travel expenses to be cut and they are to pay their own health benefits. The Retirement package should only be provided when they have invested more than 10 years of Federal government services. Since these folks wants to take us over the cliff to provide their friends the same policies that put this country under the bus then we need exert voices and energy to stop their act of selfishness. We the 47% will no longer stand by and let them take us over because of their greed. They will not put more taxes on those who are elderly, disabled or poor. 47% have paid taxes over taxes, and have paid for many wars and bailouts; today the burden needs to start with Congress, Senate and the Rich. Mr. President, if we are to share the burden, then our leaders need to show by examples: cut their pay, cut their benefits, and raise their taxes, take away their loop holes for tax purposes. Nothing should be free for them; take away the perts and let them be the average " person". We as every day citizens do not get anything special. We voted to them to serve us; not for us to serve them. 47% wants the cuts to start with them whereas they can lead by example.

When colleges borrow money in a students name they should have to sighn a document for each loan borrowed in that students name. I am living a nightmare with this problem now because it is like colleges can just borrow money under your name with out asking you anything.

This i an issue that is on President Obama's Agenda. I think this is fair ad over due. He needs help from the Congress to get this passed and I think most Americans want to see this done.

The entire country is sick of the no-compromise House of Representatives, led by John Boehner, who have continually been unwilling to even talk about raising taxes on the wealthiest individuals in the population. We must raise taxes AND cut spending or the country will suffer greatly.